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This invention relates to game systems and portable game machines. More particularly, the invention relates to a game system including a portable game machine and another game machine, wherein executable code can be downloaded from the other game machine into the portable game machine for execution.
There is a well-known cartridge-based portable hand-held game machine made by Nintendo known as xe2x80x9cGAMEBOYxe2x80x9d (product name). The GAMEBOY game machine has a boot ROM storing a boot program. The boot program is a program for initializing the portable game machine (e.g., processing involving writing zeros to memory cells and registers) and starting, after initialization, to execute a game program provided in an interchangeable ROM-based memory cartridge. The CPU of the portable game machine first executes the boot program upon turning on the unit""s power. After the boot program related initialization processing, the CPU processes a game program by executing it out of the cartridge.
Nintendo""s GAME BOY portable game machine has a communication port to communicate with other game machines (e.g., other GAME BOYs) or communication systems. The communication port is utilized to get game data and the like in the course of the GAME BOY""s internal CPU executing a cartridge game program out of the memory cartridge.
In the conventional portable game machines, there are advantages of exchanging game data and playing network games owing to their capabilities of acquiring game data and programs from other game machines.
However, in the past, the GAME BOY communication port cannot be utilized without inserting a cartridge in the portable game machine. There exists a problem that each portable game machine needs a cartridge to participate in the game play. Thus, a cartridge for each of several portable game machines may be needed for communicating data between the portable game machines through communication ports. For playing a network game over a plurality of portable game machines, there is a need to provide, for each portable game machine, a cartridge installed with an appropriate network-game program. While this may increase the sales of game cartridges, it may be difficult to find a number of friends all having the appropriate game cartridge to play a desired multiplayer game
It would be possible for an auxiliary program such as communication software to be previously stored and resident within the portable game machine housing (e.g., as part of the internal xe2x80x9cboot ROMxe2x80x9d) in order to avoid the necessity of providing a cartridge for each portable game machine. In such a case, however, there is a need to increase the storage capacity of the portable game machine to make the capacity large enough to store the auxiliary program. This increases the manufacturing cost of making the portable game machine. Also, should an auxiliary program be stored in advance on the portable game machine, the portable game machine may not be able to compatible with different type game machines utilizing communication ports be newly developed. There may arise a problem that communications could be made impossible or incompatible between the portable game machines storing different versions of auxiliary program when the auxiliary program version is improved (e.g., due to bug fixes or functional extensions). Once a large installed user base of such portable game machines existed, it might be difficult from a practical, commercial standpoint to release new portable game machine versions having new communications ports and/or protocols that are incompatible with the prior versions.
The present invention provides a novel game system and portable game machine that overcomes these problems.
The invention also provides a game system and portable game machine which is capable of communicating data by utilizing a communication port without a cartridge received by the portable game machine.
Briefly, an illustrative embodiment provides a portable game machine that can be placed into a xe2x80x9cdownload modexe2x80x9d when no game cartridge is inserted into the portable game machine. When operating in the xe2x80x9cdownload modexe2x80x9d, the portable game machine is capable of receiving executable code written to it by a data source (e.g., another portable game machine, a home video game machine, a personal computer, a network, etc.) The portable game machine writes the received executable code into an internal working random access memory and then proceeds to execute the code. In one example arrangement, this download capability permits multiple players to play a common video game on multiple video game units using only a single cartridge or other storage media.
In more detail, a game system according to an embodiment of the present invention communicatably connects a communications link between a portable game machine and another game machine. The portable game machine includes readable/writable storage capable of electrically reading/writing information. In response to turning on power, the portable game machine starts execution of a program stored in an information storage medium when the information storage medium is loaded into the receiving portion of the portable game machine. The portable game machine requests the other game machine to transfer a program to it when an information storage medium is not loaded in the receiving portion but communication is possible to the other game machine over a communications link.
The other game machine in this embodiment may execute a program from its own information storage medium removably coupled thereto. The other game machine reads the program out of its information medium and transfers same to the portable game machine in response to a program transfer request from the portable game machine. The portable game machine writes the program transferred from the other game machine into its readable/writable storage in response to the transfer request, and executes the second program written in the readable/writable storage.
The other game machine""s information storage medium can further store a first game program for the portable game machine to execute. The program transferred to the portable game machine for execution may include a download program to be executed by the portable game machine to thereby download the game program to the portable game machine.
Where the game program stored in the other video game machine""s information storage medium has a capacity greater than the storage capacity of the readable/writable storage, the download program downloads the game program in blocks or modules that are smaller than the storage capacity of the readable/writable storage.
A game system according to an example embodiment of the present invention is structured by communicatably connecting at least one portable game machine with another game machine. The portable game machine comprises a first receiver removably receiving an information storage medium storing a program to be executed on a portable game machine. The portable game machine further comprises a first communication port communicatably connecting to the other game machine. A program store stores a startup program to be executed when a startup event occurs such as when power is turned on. A readable/writable store readably/writably stores an auxiliary program transferred from the other game machine. A first processor executes the startup program stored in the program store in response to the event. The first processor executes a program provided by the information storing means according to the startup program when the information storage medium is received by the first receiver, and forwards a transfer request command through the first communication port according to the startup program (thereby storing in the readable/writable store an auxiliary program transferred from the other game machine) and executes the auxiliary program when the information storage medium is not received by the first receiver and the other game machine is communicatably connected to the first communication port.
The other game machine in this example comprises: its own information storage medium storing at least the auxiliary program to be executed on the portable game machine, and a providing program to be executed on the other game machine in order to provide the auxiliary program to the portable game machine. A second receiver removably receives the game machine""s information storage medium. A second communication port communicatably connects the portable game machine to the other game machine. A second processor executes the providing program of the information storage medium received by the receiver in response to receiving a transfer request command given from the portable game machine through the second communication port. The second processor transfers the auxiliary program to the portable game machine through the second communication port according to the providing program.
In one embodiment, the auxiliary program is processed to display a message in a predetermined language on the portable game machine.
Also, in one example, the auxiliary program is processed to provide the operational information by a player operating the portable game machine to the other game machine through the communication port.
The second information storage medium loaded on the other game machine further stores a game program to be executed on the portable game machine. The providing program may transfer the auxiliary program prior to transfer of the game program to the portable game machine.
A game system according to an example embodiment of the invention is loaded with a game information storage medium storing a game program to display a game environment on a display. In this example, a game program executed from the game information storage medium allows a player to move a character appearing in the game environment by manipulating controls, thereby playing a game. A receiver receives the game information storage medium. A communication port communicatably connects to another game machine. A startup program store stores a startup program to be executed when power is turned on. A processor executes the startup program stored in the startup program store in response to turning on power, and it starts execution of a program designated by the startup program. A readable/writable store readably/writably stores an auxiliary program transferred through the communication port. The startup program causes the processor to start execution of a game program in the game information storage medium when the game information storage medium is loaded in the receiver, and the forward to the other game machine a transfer request command requesting transfer of the auxiliary program. The transferred auxiliary program is stored in the readable/writable store and is executed.
When the power is on to the portable game machine, the CPU of the portable game machine executes the startup program. The information storage medium is detected according to the startup program. When the information storage medium is received by the receiving portion, the CPU starts to execute the program it contains according to the startup program.
When the first information storage medium is not received by the receiving portion, it is determined according to the startup program whether or not communication is possible with another game machine through utilization of the communication port. When the first information storage medium is not loaded and communication is possible with another game machine, the other game machine is requested to transfer a second program according to the startup program.
In response to the transfer request from the portable game machine, the other game machine reads a second program out of information storage medium and transfers same to the portable game machine.
Transferred with the second program, the portable game machine writes to the readable/writable store the second program transferred from the other game machine in compliance with the transfer request according to the startup program, and starts to execute the second program written onto the readable/writable store.
According to the example embodiment of the invention, when the information storage medium is loaded in the portable game machine, the program stored on the information storage medium is first executed. Accordingly, there is substantially no delay in starting a game. On the other hand, when the information storage medium is not received by the portable game machine, a program is taken from another game machine. This accordingly allows the portable game machine to function in accordance with the program received from another game machine.